- Lay on your back with your knees bent to a 90 degree angle. Place a heavy dumbbell on your lower stomach, and hold the dumbbell on both ends.
- Using your glute muscles, lift your hips and pelvis as high of the floor as possible.
- With a flexed foot, straighten and lift one leg towards the ceiling - this leg stays straight in the air.
- Lower your body down so that it almost touches the floor while keeping one leg in the air.
- Drive your hips up as high as possible again to repeat the movement.
*Make sure not to let your hips dip.
2. Hip Thrust
- Using a barbell or heavy dumbbell, use an amount of weight youâre comfortable with.
- Place your body under the barbell or put the dumbbell on the upper part of your thighs, and use a bench to support your back, neck, and head behind you.
- Keep your feet on the floor, put your feet directly under your knees so that when you extend, youâll make a 90% angle.
- Raise the barbell up from the floor primarily using your glute muscles.
- Repeat the motion until the set is complete.
*It is VERY important to focus on contracting your glute muscles throughout this movement - make use of the mind-muscle connection! If you need to, slightly move your feet to see if you can get your glutes to fire.
*Make sure to maximize the full range of motion, going all the way up with your hips before coming back down slowly!
*If youâre unsure what weight youâre comfortable with, start off with something very light and see how it feels. Add to it until you find that comfortable but difficult weight level.
*You can use a pad or a towel under the bar for comfort
3. Alternating Step Up
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, while keeping your core engaged and squeezing your glutes, step up onto a platform with your right foot (at a height thatâs comfortable for you,) step down, and then alternate sides.
- Repeat.
4. Deadlift
- Holding dumbbells in each hand, keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight with your chest puffed outwards.
- Hinging from your waist, bend down towards the floor as far as possible while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
- At the climax of the movement (when you get as low as possible, hold for .5 - 1 seconds).
- Using your legs and butt, straighten your knees until your body comes to a standing position.
- Repeat the movement to complete the set.